William Turkish, Esq.
William Turkish, a partner of the firm, specializes in New York State and Federal commercial litigation. Mr. Turkish acts as outside general counsel for numerous companies and the representation of individuals in a wide range of business, construction, and real estate transactions. He has over 34 years of experience in all aspects of civil litigation from pre-trial proceedings through trial and appeals, mediations, and arbitration.
His area of practice concentrates on construction law and litigation, mechanic’s liens, commercial transactions, corporate matters of all types, real estate, and contract matters, commercial tax lien foreclosures as well as financing of commercial and residential development. Mr. Turkish’s clients include small and medium-sized corporations, partnerships and LLCs, property owners, construction companies, and real estate developers.
Representative matters include:
Commercial Litigation/Mediation
Represented Owner/Developer in a contract dispute with the General Contractor (GC) of a newly constructed 63-story multi-use building on Fulton Street in the Financial District of Manhattan. $175+ million Project was in early stages of development when shut down by the Department of Buildings over, amongst other things, improper installation of support piles that caused damage to adjacent buildings and the improper supervision of subcontractor’s work by General Contractor. Advised client on pros and cons of termination of General Contractor. Counseled our client on the cost-effectiveness of attempting to mediate the dispute with the GC rather than time-consuming litigation or arbitration. During back-to-back 14-hour days of Mediation, the parties reached a settlement of the dispute that provided for the voluntary withdrawal of the General Contractor and its primary subcontractor, in lieu of termination for cause, and a smooth transition to a new General Contractor and subcontractors.
Represented the Owner/Developer of a 17-story mixed-use new construction project in the Lower East Side of Manhattan during a 10-day bench trial in Supreme Court, New York County. Following the termination of the General Contractor for cause arising out of negligence construction, damage to adjacent structures, and breach of the $36 million construction contract, the GC filed a Mechanic’s Lien for $3.4 million and commence an action for breach of contract and foreclosure of the Mechanic’s Lien. Our client counterclaimed for Breach of Contract and discharge of the lien. Following four years of discovery, motion practice, and trial, our client was successful and obtained a Judgment dismissing the GC’s complaint in its entirety and won an award of over $2,000,000 on its counterclaims for breach of contract.
Following extensive discovery and motion practice but prior to the commencement of a jury trial in Supreme Court, Nassau County settled a dispute between partners in an LLC over the rights to the development of a dialysis center in Queens, New York. Issues included contract interpretation, allegations of fraud, Department of Health Licensing, construction, conflict of interest, and breach of fiduciary duties.
Represented Owner of a 34-story building in Times Square in the pre-litigation resolution of a claim under the Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990 (“VARA”) for up to $150,000 in damages by the artist of a 30-foot ceiling mural which was demolished during the renovation of the lobby. Rather than litigating the complexities and applicability of VARA to the situation in Federal Court at great cost to the client, the parties, through counsel, engaged in good faith settlement negotiations that resulted in a minimal payment to the artist.
Pro Bono Representation of Active Duty Soldiers and Veterans
As part of the NYS Bar Association Veterans Referral Panel Program we represented and consulted with active duty servicemen to resolve and litigate, when necessary, minor commercial disputes.
Representing property owner/developer in a dispute with adjacent property owner over the illegal construction of a 7-story building that encroaches by as much as one foot over the property line preventing our client from commencing construction. After attempts at settlement failed, adjacent property owner trespassed onto clients’ property and began demolishing parts of its building without plans or approvals from DOB and without entering into Building Code required Access and License Agreement. Recently filed an Order to Show Cause and was granted a TRO prohibiting adjacent property owner from proceeding with demolition and compelling the executing of a negotiated Access Agreement. Action pending in Supreme Court-Queens County.
Representing luxury condominium owner in Supreme Court-New York County for claims against General Contractor for breach of $2.5 million contract for a gut renovation project and negligent construction arising out of a series of major water leaks from defective pipes installed during construction that caused over $2 Million in property damage to 15+ units owners and commercial tenants in an upper east side building. Ten separate lawsuits involving claims, cross-claims, and counter-claims between client, Condominium, General Contractor, Subcontractors, suppliers, manufacturers, and respective insurance companies on subrogation claims have been consolidated for trial.
Mr. Turkish is admitted to practice law before the Courts of the State of New York, the United States District Court in the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit as well as the Supreme Court of the United States. He received his Juris Doctor degree from the Benjamin Cardozo School of Law in 1983 and his B.S. degree in Criminal Justice from St. John’s University in 1980.
